Cell walls of certain bacteria including group A and whole killed group B beta-hemolytic streptococci (SCW A SCW B) injected into rats induce a chronic, relapsing experimental erosive synovitis (EES). The walls may damage tissue directly or through phagocytes and other immune mechanisms. Our work will focus on the role of phagocytes in processing the peptidoglycan-C carbohydrate complexes (PGC) of these walls, their effects on the toxicity and structure of the walls, and the effects of the walls on the function of the phagocytes. Techniques will include isolation of hydrolytic enzymes from rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and studies on the effects of these enzymes on the toxicity and structure of SCW A and SCWB. Isolation of enzymes from macrophages (MP) or MP stimulated with cell walls and studies of their effect in vitro on SCW. Monospecific antibodies to the hydrolytic enzymes and monospecific antibodies to the immunodominant structures of PGC will be conjugated with fluorescent tags and used to study interactions between PGC and rat phagocytes in tissue culture and in experimental rats with EES. The role of complement receptors and production of complement components by macrophages challenged with SCW will be studied.